U.S. patent application number 11/433585 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-16 for mounting structure of oil pump.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Tomokazu Baba, Kinya Mizuno.
Application Number | 20060254860 11/433585 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37418045 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060254860 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mizuno; Kinya ; et
al. |
November 16, 2006 |
Mounting structure of oil pump
Abstract
Connecting ports are respectively connected through joint plugs
to inlet ports formed on the upper surface of an oil pump. The
joint plugs have thin-walled cylindrical portions and circular
flange portions formed at axially central positions of the
respective cylindrical portions. The inlet ports are tapered in
such a manner that the inner diameters of the inlet ports gradually
increase toward opening ends thereof. One end portions of the joint
plugs are preliminarily press-fitted with the inlet ports until the
flange portions abut against the opening ends of the inlet ports,
thereby achieving oil tightness. The other end portions of the
joint plugs are oil-tightly connected through O-rings to the
connecting ports.
Inventors: |
Mizuno; Kinya; (Saitama,
JP) ; Baba; Tomokazu; (Saitama, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
37418045 |
Appl. No.: |
11/433585 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
184/6.28 ;
417/364 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01C 21/10 20130101;
F04C 2/102 20130101; F04C 11/001 20130101; F04C 2/086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
184/006.28 ;
417/364 |
International
Class: |
F01M 11/00 20060101
F01M011/00; F04B 35/00 20060101 F04B035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 16, 2005 |
JP |
2005-142482 |
Claims
1. A mounting structure of an oil pump for sucking a lubricating
oil from an inlet port and feeding said lubricating oil under
pressure from an outlet port, said mounting structure comprising: a
joint plug for oil-tightly connecting at least one of said inlet
port and said outlet port to a connected object, said joint plug
having one end portion preliminarily press-fitted with at least one
of said inlet port and said outlet port and another end portion
adapted to be oil-tightly connected to said connected object by
using a sealing member.
2. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 1,
wherein: said oil pump comprises a feed pump and a scavenging pump
integrated with each other; and said joint plug comprises a first
joint plug press-fitted with an inlet port of said feed pump and a
second joint plug press-fitted with an inlet port of said
scavenging pump, said first and second joint plugs having seat
surfaces at the same level.
3. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 1,
wherein said joint plug has a cylindrical portion and a circular
flange portion formed at an axially central position of said
cylindrical portion so as to have an outer diameter larger than
that of said cylindrical portion, said one end portion of said
joint plug being press-fitted until said flange portion abuts
against an opening end of at least one of said inlet port and said
outlet port.
4. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 2,
wherein said joint plug has a cylindrical portion and a circular
flange portion formed at an axially central position of said
cylindrical portion so as to have an outer diameter larger than
that of said cylindrical portion, said one end portion of said
joint plug being press-fitted until said flange portion abuts
against an opening end of at least one of said inlet port and said
outlet port.
5. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 3,
wherein the other end portion of said joint plug is oil-tightly
connected to said connected object through a sealing function
obtained by combining said flange portion and an o-ring as said
sealing member.
6. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 4,
wherein the other end portion of said joint plug is oil-tightly
connected to said connected object through a sealing function
obtained by combining said flange portion and an o-ring as said
sealing member.
7. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 1,
wherein said at least one of said inlet port and said outlet port
has an inner diameter that tapers toward an opening end
thereof.
8. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 1,
wherein said sealing member is an o-ring located between said
connected object and said another end portion of said joint
plug.
9. A mounting structure for an oil pump, comprising: a joint plug
having a first end portion press fitted within at least one of an
inlet port and an outlet port of the oil pump, said joint plug
having a second end portion connected to a connecting port with a
sealing member, the connecting port being in communication with an
object to be lubricated.
10. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 9,
wherein: said oil pump comprises a feed pump and a scavenging pump
integrated with each other; and said joint plug comprises a first
joint plug press-fitted with an inlet port of said feed pump and a
second joint plug press-fitted with an inlet port of said
scavenging pump, said first and second joint plugs having seat
surfaces at the same level.
11. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 9,
wherein said joint plug has a cylindrical portion and a circular
flange portion formed at an axially central position of said
cylindrical portion so as to have an outer diameter larger than
that of said cylindrical portion, said first end portion of said
joint plug being press-fitted until said flange portion abuts
against an opening end of at least one of said inlet port and said
outlet port.
12. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 10,
wherein said joint plug has a cylindrical portion and a circular
flange portion formed at an axially central position of said
cylindrical portion so as to have an outer diameter larger than
that of said cylindrical portion, said first end portion of said
joint plug being press-fitted until said flange portion abuts
against an opening end of at least one of said inlet port and said
outlet port.
13. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 11,
wherein the second end portion of said joint plug is oil-tightly
connected to said connecting port through a sealing function
obtained by combining said flange portion and an o-ring as said
sealing member.
14. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 12,
wherein the second end portion of said joint plug is oil-tightly
connected to said connected object through a sealing function
obtained by combining said flange portion and an o-ring as said
sealing member.
15. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 9,
wherein said at least one of said inlet port and said outlet port
has an inner diameter that tapers toward an opening end
thereof.
16. The mounting structure of an oil pump according to claim 9,
wherein said sealing member is an o-ring located between said
connecting port and said second end portion of said joint plug.
17. An oil pump, comprising: a feed pump; first and second
scavenging pumps integral with the feed pump; a drive shaft
rotatably supported within the feed pump and the first and second
scavenging pumps; a first joint plug having a first end portion
press-fitted within an inlet port of said feed pump and a second
joint plug having a first end portion press-fitted within an inlet
port of at least one of said first and second scavenging pumps,
said first and second joint plugs having seat surfaces at the same
level, said first and second joint plugs having second end portions
connected to a connecting port with a sealing member, the
connecting port being in communication with an object to be
lubricated.
18. The oil pump according to claim 17, wherein said first and
second joint plugs have a cylindrical portion and a circular flange
portion formed at an axially central position of said cylindrical
portion so as to have an outer diameter larger than that of said
cylindrical portion, said first end portions of said joint plugs
being press-fitted until said flange portions abut against an
opening end of said inlet ports of said feed pump and said
scavenging pumps.
19. The oil pump according to claim 17, wherein said inlet ports of
said feed pump and said scavenging pumps have an inner diameter
that tapers toward an opening end thereof.
20. The oil pump according to claim 17, wherein said sealing member
is an o-ring located between said connecting port and said second
end portion of said joint plug.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2005-142482, filed
in Japan on May 16, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a mounting structure of an
oil pump. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
mounting structure of an oil pump, which can make simple and
reliable connection of an oil inlet and outlet (inlet port and
outlet port) of the oil pump to connected objects.
[0004] 2. Description of Background Art
[0005] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-140614 discloses an oil
pump for an internal combustion engine that includes a feed pump
for supplying oil from an oil tank to various lubricated sections
of the engine and a scavenging pump integrated with the feed pump
for returning the oil staying at a bottom portion of the engine to
the oil tank. The feed pump and the scavenging pump have rotors
coaxially mounted on a common drive shaft.
[0006] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a connecting structure
between an inlet port (or outlet port) 71 of an oil pump and a
connected object 72 in the background art. As shown in FIG. 5, the
inlet port 71 and the connected object 72 are connected with each
other through a joint plug 73. An O-ring 75 oil-tightly seals the
joint plug 73 and the inlet port 71, and an O-ring 74 oil-tightly
seals the connected object 72 and the joint plug 73.
[0007] In the background art mentioned above, the joint plug and
the two sealing members must be separately prepared when mounting
the oil pump to a housing of a lubricated section. Furthermore, it
is necessary to prepare any positioning members such as dowel pins
for relatively positioning the oil pump and the housing of the
lubricated section. As a result, the number of parts and the number
of mounting steps become large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] There is a need for the present invention to provide a
mounting structure of an oil pump that can reduce the number of
parts and the number of mounting steps required to mount the oil
pump to the housing of the lubricated section.
[0009] In a mounting structure of an oil pump for sucking
lubricating oil from an inlet port and feeding the lubricating oil
under pressure from an outlet port, the present invention includes
the following aspects.
[0010] (1). The mounting structure includes a joint plug for
oil-tightly connecting at least one of the inlet port and the
outlet port to a connected object. The joint plug has one end
portion preliminarily press-fitted with at least one of the inlet
port and the outlet port and another end portion adapted to be
oil-tightly connected to the connected object by using a sealing
member.
[0011] (2). The oil pump includes a feed pump and a scavenging pump
integrated with each other. The joint plug includes a first joint
plug press-fitted with an inlet port of the feed pump and a second
joint plug press-fitted with an inlet port of the scavenging pump.
The first and second joint plugs having seat surfaces at the same
level.
[0012] (3). The joint plug has a cylindrical portion and a circular
flange portion formed at an axially central position of the
cylindrical portion so as to have an outer diameter. One end
portion of the joint plug is press-fitted until the flange portion
abuts against an opening end of at least one of the inlet port and
the outlet port.
[0013] According to the present invention, the following effects
can be exhibited.
[0014] (1). According to the first aspect of the present invention,
the joint plug is preliminarily fixed by press-fitting to the inlet
port or the outlet port of the oil pump to thereby achieve oil
tightness without using any sealing members. Thus, unlike the
background art that requires sealing members to mount the oil pump,
no sealing members are required. Furthermore, the joint plug is
accurately positioned to the inlet or outlet port of the oil pump
with no play, thereby exhibiting a positioning function.
Accordingly, it is unnecessary to use any positioning members such
as dowel pins for accurately positioning the oil pump to the
connected object.
[0015] (2). According to the second aspect of the present
invention, the first and second joint plugs have seat surfaces at
the same level. Accordingly, even when the oil pump and the
connected object are connected at two positions, the connection
therebetween can be easily performed.
[0016] (3) According to the third aspect of the present invention,
the joint plug is press-fitted into the inlet port or the outlet
port of the oil pump until the flange portion abuts against the
opening end of the inlet or outlet port. Accordingly, the seat
surface of the joint plug can be set at a constant level.
[0017] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are
not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an oil pump along a drive
shaft thereof according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction shown by an arrow Z1
in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction shown by an arrow Z2
in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of
the oil pump; and
[0023] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a connecting structure
between an inlet or outlet port of an oil pump and an internal
combustion engine in the background art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the
same or similar elements will be identified with the same reference
numerals.
[0025] FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I in FIG.
2. In this preferred embodiment, the oil pump 10 includes a feed
pump and a scavenging pump coaxially integrated with each
other.
[0026] The feed pump of the oil pump 10 includes a feed pump
housing 3. The scavenging pump of the oil pump 10 includes a first
scavenging pump housing 1 and a second scavenging pump housing 4.
An intermediate housing 2 is interposed between the first
scavenging pump housing 1 and the feed pump housing 3. The housings
1, 2, 3, and 4 are oil-tightly joined together by using a plurality
of screws 11. The drive shaft 5 is rotatably supported to the
housings 1, 2, 3, and 4 so as to vertically extend
therethrough.
[0027] A first scavenging pump rotor 11 is supported to the drive
shaft 5 in a pump chamber 11a of the first scavenging pump housing
1. A feed pump rotor 13 is supported to the drive shaft 5 in a pump
chamber 13a of the feed pump housing 3. A second scavenging pump
rotor 14 is supported to the drive shaft 5 in a pump chamber 14a of
the second scavenging pump housing 4.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the second scavenging pump housing 4 has
two oil outlet ports 21 and 22 opening to the lower surface of the
oil pump 10 as viewed in FIG. 1. The outlet port 21 communicates
with the pump chamber 13a of the feed pump to feed the oil through
an oil filter (not shown) to a lubricated section. The outlet port
22 communicates with the pump chamber 11a of the first scavenging
pump and the pump chamber 14a of the second scavenging pump to feed
the oil through an oil cooler (not shown) to an oil tank (not
shown). A relief valve 20 is provided to relieve a discharge oil
pressure of the feed pump to the first scavenging pump when the
discharge oil pressure becomes higher than a predetermined
value.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the first scavenging pump housing 1 has
three inlet ports 23, 24, and 25 opening to the upper surface of
the oil pump 10. The inlet port 23 communicates with the pump
chamber 11a of the first scavenging pump, and is connected to an
oil pan (not shown) of an engine. The inlet port 24 communicates
with the pump chamber 13a of the feed pump, and is connected to the
oil tank. The inlet port 25 communicates with the pump chamber 14a
of the second scavenging pump, and is connected to an oil strainer
(not shown).
[0030] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of
the oil pump 10. As in the background art, a connecting port 41
that is in communication with the oil filter is connected through a
joint plug 51 to the outlet port 21 of the oil pump 10. A
connecting port 42 that is in communication with the oil cooler is
connected through a joint plug 52 to the outlet port 22 of the oil
pump 10. A pair of O-rings 61 oil-tightly seals the outlet port 21,
the joint plug 51, and the connecting port 41. A pair of O-rings 62
oil-tightly seals the outlet port 22, the joint plug 52, and the
connecting port 42.
[0031] In contrast, a connecting port 43 that is in communication
with the oil pan is connected through a joint plug 53 to the inlet
port 23 of the oil pump 10. A connecting port 44 that is in
communication with the oil tank is connected through a joint plug
54 to the inlet port 24 of the oil pump 10. The joint plug 53 has a
thin-walled cylindrical portion and a circular flange portion 53a
formed at an axially central position of the cylindrical portion so
as to have an outer diameter larger than that of the cylindrical
portion. Similarly, the joint plug 54 has a thin-walled cylindrical
portion and a circular flange portion 54a formed at an axially
central position of the cylindrical portion so as to have an outer
diameter larger than that of the cylindrical portion.
[0032] The inlet port 23 is tapered in such a manner that the inner
diameter of the inlet port 23 gradually increases toward an opening
end of the inlet port 23. Similarly, the inlet port 24 is tapered
in such a manner that the inner diameter of the inlet port 24
gradually increases toward an opening end of the inlet port 24. One
end portion of the joint plug 53 is preliminarily press-fitted with
the inlet port 23 until the flange portion 53a abuts against the
opening end of the inlet port 23, thereby achieving oil tightness.
Similarly, one end portion of the joint plug 54 is preliminarily
press-fitted with the inlet port 24 until the flange portion 54a
abuts against the opening end of the inlet port 24, thereby
achieving oil tightness.
[0033] For the purpose of simple connection of the other end
portions of the joint plugs 53 and 54 to the respective connecting
ports 43 and 44, the seat surfaces of the joint plugs 53 and 54
have the same level, i.e., the upper surfaces of the flange
portions 53a and 54a of the joint plugs 53 and 54 have the same
level. An O-ring 63 is fitted with the other end portion of the
joint plug 53 so as to abut against the flange portion 53a, so that
the connecting port 43 is oil-tightly connected to the joint plug
53 by a sealing function achieved by the combination of the flange
portion 53a and the O-ring 63. Similarly, an O-ring 64 is fitted
with the other end portion of the joint plug 54 so as to abut
against the flange portion 54a, so that the connecting port 44 is
oil-tightly connected to the joint plug 54 by a sealing function
achieved by the combination of the flange portion 54a and the
O-ring 64.
[0034] In operation, engine power or motor power is transmitted to
a sprocket 30 connected to one end of the drive shaft 5 to thereby
rotate the drive shaft 5. As a result, the lubricating oil is
sucked into the oil pump 10 from the inlet ports 23, 24, and 25 by
the suction forces of the feed pump and the scavenging pump. The
lubricating oil supplied into the oil pump 10 is pressurized in the
oil pump 10, and then fed under pressure from the outlet ports 21
and 22 to the oil cooler and the lubricated section.
[0035] According to this preferred embodiment, the joint plugs 53
and 54 are preliminarily fixed by press fitting to the inlet ports
23 and 24, respectively, to thereby achieve oil tightness without
using any sealing members. Thus, unlike the background art, no
sealing members are required between the inlet ports 23 and 24 and
the joint plugs 53 and 54. Furthermore, the joint plugs 53 and 54
are accurately positioned to the inlet ports 23 and 24 of the oil
pump 10 with no play, thereby exhibiting a positioning function.
Accordingly, it is unnecessary to use any positioning members such
as dowel pins for accurately positioning the oil pump to the
connected object.
[0036] While the joint plugs 53 and 54 characteristic in the
present invention are press-fitted with only the inlet ports 23 and
24 of the oil pump 10 in this preferred embodiment, the present
invention is not limited to this preferred embodiment, but the
joint plugs according to the present invention may be press-fitted
with only the outlet ports 21 and 22 or both the inlet ports 23 and
24 and the outlet ports 21 and 22.
[0037] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *